The national Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and its local chapters endorsed 164 candidates in 32 states and the District of Columbia running on Nov. 3: one for the U.S. Senate, 10 for the U.S. House of Representatives, 64 for state legislatures, and 89 for local offices. They also took positions on 72 state and local ballot measures.
As of Nov. 10, 79 of those candidates had won and 24 had lost. Results for the remaining 61 have yet to be called.
The DSA website describes itself as “the largest socialist organization in the United States because we’re a member-driven mass organization. We believe that working people should run both the economy and civil society, and we show our commitment to this principle by being an organization of, by, and for the working class.”
The DSA and its local chapters are some of what we at Ballotpedia refer to as a Recognized Endorsement Contributor (REC) — a person or organization that publicly expresses their support for candidates or campaigns. These endorsements provide voters with valuable information and, ultimately, contribute to an information environment that fosters a more civically engaged and informed electorate.
Congressional elections
Eight DSA-endorsed candidates won U.S. House elections on Nov. 3: two incumbents and six new members. Once new members take office, that raises the number of DSA-endorsed members of the U.S. Congress from two to eight.
All six new DSA-endorsed members won in congressional districts that Democrats represented before the election. Three new DSA-endorsed members defeated Democratic incumbents in primaries, and one defeated a Democratic incumbent on Nov. 3. Two new DSA-endorsed members won in open congressional districts. As of Nov. 10, incumbent Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) leads DSA-endorsed Mai Vang (D) 56% to 44% in California’s 7th Congressional District, which has not been called.
No DSA-endorsed candidate won a Republican-held congressional district. In Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) defeated DSA-endorsed Lauren Jewett (D). DSA-endorsed Gregory Levy (I) also lost the U.S. Senate special election in Ohio.
State legislative elections
Of the 64 DSA-endorsed state legislative candidates, 51 won and 11 lost. Two races have not been called.
Sixteen DSA-endorsed candidates ran against incumbents, 15 of them against Republicans. Five defeated Republican incumbents to win. Ten lost, and one race has not been called.
Another 26 DSA-endorsed candidates won open seats previously held by Democrats where no incumbents were on the Nov. 3 ballot: 11 had defeated Democratic incumbents in primaries, and 15 won open seats. None won an open seat previously held by Republicans. Isaiah Harris (D) was the only DSA-endorsed candidate to run for such a seat in Kansas House District 3.
The one DSA-endorsed candidate who ran against a Democratic incumbent on Nov. 3 was Brittany Kubicek (I), who lost to State Rep. Anthony DeSimone (D) in Rhode Island House District 5. In Illinois House District 70, DSA-endorsed Veronica Garcia-Martinez (D) leads Rep. Jeff Keicher (R) in a race that has not yet been called.
Thirteen DSA-endorsed candidates won in New York, more than any other state. Eleven ran for and won in the New York Assembly, the most of any single chamber in the country. Two ran for and won in the New York Senate. DSA-candidates also won in 19 other states.
Twenty of the 21 DSA-endorsed state legislative incumbents won re-election. The race State Rep. Lesly Munoz (D) is running in for Oregon House District 22 has not been called.
The 11 DSA-endorsed candidates who lost ran in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont.
Local elections
DSA-endorsed candidates won two of the three mayoral races in large cities where the group had endorsed:
- Los Angeles: Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Although the race was officially nonpartisan, both candidates are Democrats.
- Washington, D.C.: DSA-endorsed Janeese Lewis George (D) won the open mayor’s office.
- Louisville: Incumbent Mayor Craig Greenberg defeated DSA-endorsed Shameka Parrish-Wright in the city’s first nonpartisan mayoral election.
Ballot measures
DSA’s position prevailed on 44 of the 72 measures that voters decided on Nov. 3. Five have not been called.
Statewide: DSA’s side won 17, lost 11, and two were uncalled. Voters approved California Proposition 3, which renews a state income tax increase for education, and all three Virginia constitutional amendments the group supported. Voters rejected California Proposition 40, a one-time wealth tax DSA supported, and Washington Initiative 645, which would have repealed the state’s tax on household income over $1 million and which DSA opposed.
Local: DSA’s position won 27 and lost 12, and three were uncalled.
This article was originally published by Ballotpedia and is republished under its Creative Commons terms, unedited.